*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Hilarious and heart-warming true stories of a Pet Sitter.
Laura takes us on her journey describing the immense joy that the animals have brought into her life. But it’s not all fun and games. With sometimes as many as ten dogs around her home, things can get a tad hectic. Not to forget the every day challenges faced in keeping the pets happy and safe when out walking. Luckily she is not alone in her quest; her unusually dominant Golden Retriever ‘Brece’ is always by her side. Brece earns her keep by convincingly playing the part of the alpha female, ensuring harmony amongst the pack.
At times, the responsibility that Laura faces becomes overwhelming. She may think she has everything covered but that hand of fate could quite easily swoop down, creating havoc for her and the dogs. Laura has endured many close calls and teetered on the precipice of disaster may a time. The longer she continues with her pet sitting enterprise, the more likely hood that total disaster will actually strike. Is she tempting fate?
Laura Marchant is the Bridget Jones of the pet sitting world!
This book is a true memoir of Laura Marchant’s experiences of owning her own dog and of leaving her career in insurance to start a business as an independent dog walker and pet sitter/boarder.
Laura’s love of dogs shines through every word of the book – she clearly far prefers animals to most people and, as a fellow animal lover, I fully understand her sentiments! Each of her canine charges is remembered fondly and described with love, from the most angelic (Toby) to the more… rambunctious, Rocky (the most beloved of Laura’s self-styled ‘ASBO’ dogs). Some dogs need a little more care due to health issues or emotional issues, while some are happy just to stretch their legs and play with the friends. Laura opens her heart and home to them all, and shares the sad, funny and touching anecdotes that ensue with her readers.
She doesn’t hold back when it comes to the downsides of her dream job either, detailing difficult dogs, difficult owners, rotten weather, Council strictures and her own occasional bouts of forgetfulness resulting in lost keys and even lost dogs. It is clear though that the love of her furry friends makes it all worthwhile.
In addition to the personal experience in the memoirs, there is a wealth of information about dog psychology, physiology, care needs and wellbeing tips, and the author has included some appendices with sources for information on everything from why dogs are more aggressive around frightened children, to how many words the average dog understands.
Dog lovers will love this insight into what their dogs get up to with their carer while they are away, and the lovable antics of Brece, Wasabi, Hendrix, Rocky, Haribo, Doug the Pug and co. will captivate their readers as easily as they did Laura’s heart!
My new pet sitter role was turning out to be far more enjoyable than I had ever imagined. Every Monday morning with a heart full of joy I set off on my rounds to pick up my cuddly mates. Walking up the garden paths, my grin stretches across my face at the thought of the unbridled affection that is about to come my way. Home alone, once the dogs realise freedom is on the horizon, they positively burst with excitement.
Laura Marchant, Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter
The feeling is mutual, although I manage to contain myself in comparison.
Author Bio – Laura Marchant was born in 1959 in the seaside resort of Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England. Both her parents were born in the same town, so not exactly a family of intrepid travellers! As a child Laura and her siblings were fortunate enough to own shares in the families pets. Unbeknown to Laura at the time, her love for the animals formed the blueprint for a large part of her life. In 2011 she finally found her vocation, and in the comfort of her own home, set up a pet boarding business. For the next 7 years she shared her abode with a pack of dogs. A lot of this time was spent watching over the animals and observing their behaviour, which in turn inspired her to write her first novel ‘Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter’.
You can follow Laura Marchant on Facebook and Twitter, and Trials and Tribulations of a Pet Sitter is available on Amazon right now!
Bookshine And Readbows 